State indemnity and non-insurance agreements
Insurance costs for organizing exhibitions that bring together objects from different European museums are becoming more and more prohibitive. The absence of national guarantee systems covering this type of costs in certain member states, or the existence of very different schemes from one country to another, poses problems for museums willing to lend out their objects to, or borrow objects from, museums in other European countries. What steps can be taken in order to deal with these problems? Do possibilities exist for fine-tuning the different national guarantee systems?

Next, we have the question concerning the possibilities provided by non-insurance agreements in addition to state indemnity schemes. The governments and museums in some of the member states of the EU have undertaken agreements allowing them not to insure museum objects exchanged amongst themselves, and whereby they are not liable for depreciation. We wonder whether it would be possible to come to similar agreements at an international level, made between those in charge of government-held-collections whereby the insurance budgets could be used for other purposes.

read more >

Distance management and long-term loans
Some museums have a long tradition of lending objects for an extended period to fellow museums, ministries and other organizations (extra muros). What measure do they take to ensure (by remote control) their objects are properly cared for? How do they ensure that after perhaps, thirty years, the objects can still be located? Is it enough to rely on an old agreement, or should there be periodic inspections? What are the conditions for satisfactory distance management?

Reciprocity and solidarity
There are a good many laws connected with lending art objects, which primarily exist to ensure the safety of the objects. There are also unwritten laws, governing reciprocity. A large museum lending an object often takes into consideration the status of the museum to whom the loan is made and the quality of its collection, that might be interesting for future loans vice versa. In some cases double standards are applied. Doesn’t this conflict with the pursuit of European unity and collegial solidarity?

Loan administration, efficiency and costs
In various EU member states and in various organizations attempts have been made to reach a standardization concerning loan administration. For example, there has been an introduction of standard forms to be completed for loans, standard facility reports, standard insurance policies. The question arises: is it desirable/possible to reach a European norm? If so, what conditions should it meet? Who should initiate such a system?

An increase in exchange traffic brings with it higher handling costs for museums. What is the most efficient way of organizing the museum’s loan traffic?

read more >